Conveying mechanism



y 1938. R. H. GORDON 2,116,430

CONVEYING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 14, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 0M Maia:

El E2 lad/in F001.

INVENTOR. fioierz ff. Gordan:

ATTORNEYS.

.Mgy 3, 1938. R. H. GORDON 2,116,430

CONVEYING MEGHANI SM Filed Dec. 14, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORN E Y6.

May 3, 1938. GORDON 2,116,430

CONVEYING MECHANI SM Filed D'ec. 14, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.Faker l1. Gordon.

ATTORNEYS.

May 3, 1938. R. H. GORDON 2,116,430

commune MECHANISM Filed Dec. 14, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 t INVENTOR.Faber! ff Gardazr.

A TTORNEYS,

May 3, 1938. R. H. GORDON 2,115,430

' CONVEYING MECHANISM v Filed Dec. 14, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.7? 09821 Gara'brz ATTORNEYS.

May 3, 1938.

R. GORDON CONVEYING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 14, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 lINVENTOR. fiohrz Gordon.

[ZMVM- ATTORNEYS.

Patented May3, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE Parker Bust ProofMichigan Comp ny, a corporation of Application December 14, 1934, SerialNo. 757,426

17 Claims.

This invention relates to conveying mechanism and particularly to thattype thereof in which articles to be transported and treated or workedupon are adapted to travel at diiferent speeds during different phasesof movement thereof, the

principal object being the provision of a simple, economical andeflicient mechanism of this type. Although the mechanism provided by thepres ent invention is applicable for use wherever it is desired totransfer and/or treat in any manner any type of articles, for thepurpose of simplicity only reference hereafter will be made to itsapplication to a rust proofing treatment only for articles such as partsof automobiles, its application for other uses such as plating, paintingor the like and for other types of articles, and the modification of theillustrative embodiment sho wn to adapt it to such other uses and/ orarticles, will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon thedisclosure herein.

The invention pertains to the provision of means particularly applicablefor conveying articles to be rust-proofed through the various stages ofa rust proofing process.

One oi the main objects of the invention is to provide a conveyingsystem of this character which may be adapted to carry articles throughWashing and rinsing devices preparatory to the rust proofing treatmentin such a manner as to expose substantially all the portions of ,sucharticles to the washing and rinsing operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide means in conveyingapparatus of this kind which automatically varies the manner of movementof the articles after being subjected to one treatment 'to facilitatethe treatment thereof in a tank of comparatively small capacity andrelatively short length so as to reduce the quantity of solutionrequired to be employed in the tank and exposed to evaporation in theatmosphere.

Another object of'the invention is to further modify the manner ofmovement of the articles automatically at the end of the rust proofingtreatment so as to reduce as far as possible the time of exposure ofarticles wet with rust proofing solution to the atmosphere duringtransferring of such articles from the rust proofing tank to a finalrinsing tank and to thereby guard against drying of the solution on thearticles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a completelyautomatic conveying system of this kind which has diverse portionsconstructed and arranged and driven in a predetermined timed relation tomove the articles to be treated in that manner which is best suited foreach particular stage of the accompanying process or treatment.

A still further objector the invention is to provide a completelyautomatic conveying system of this kind which has diverse portionsconstructed and arranged and driven ina predetermined timed relation tomove the articles in that manner which is best suited for eachparticular stage of a rust proofing process respectively.

Other objects of the invention are to provide mono-rail sections inthose portions of a conveyor system of this character which are notcongested and where the articles travel a considerable distance withoutbeing worked upon so as to lessen the quantity of structural materialrequired for the construction .of the system; to provide monorailsections of this kind where single file movement of the articles permitsaccess to be had to all portions thereof for washing, rinsing, or otherpurposes; to provide a double rail section at that portion of a conveyorsystem which moves the articles through a rust proofing or other tank soas to facilitate multiple file movement of the articles through the bathand. to thereby allow a substantial reduction in the speed of travel ofthe conveyor of such portions of the system without necessitating theuse of excessively long or large capacity rust proofing tanks or theemployment of large quantities of liquid or solution at any one time; toprovide mono-rail conveyor sections for carrying articles in single fileto and from the stations where they are treated with rust proofingsolution; to provide rapid acting automatically operable transfer meansin the double rail section of the conveying mechanism which is adaptedto remove a unit of a plurality of laterally aligned articles from therust proofing bath and deposit the same in a final rinsing tank beforethe rust proofing solution on the surfaces of such articles has anopportunity to dry and become hardened thereon; to provide means forautomatically transferring the articles from a single file relationshipon the mono-rail sections of the system to a laterally alignedrelationship on the double rail section of the system; to providesimilar automatic means of this kind for transferring the articles froma laterally aligned relationship on the double rail section to a singlefile relationship on successive single rail sections of the system; andto provide transfer means of this character which is operableautomatically by the movement of the units of articles in their normalcourse of travel.

The above being among the objects of the present invention; the sameconsists in certain novel features of construction and combination ofparts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accomp nyindrawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustrational plan view ofa system for conveying articles through the various stages of a rustproofing process;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view taken on the line 2-3of Fig. 1;

Fig. 31s a fragmentary, side elevational view illustrating the mono-railsection of the conveying system as viewed from line 3-3 of Fig. 1 andshowing an article holder by which a plurality of articles may besupported and moved in a unitary fashion;

Fig. 4 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view taken on the line 4-4of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, side elevational view illustrating the doublerail section of the conveying system, as viewed from line H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, transverse, vertical sectional view taken onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, plan view of that portion of the conveyingsystem which is located at the junction of the mono-rail section of thesystem and the front end of the double rail section thereof,illustrating portions of the driving mechanism of the system and moreparticularly showing the means for transferring units of articles fromthe mono-rail section to the double rail sections of the system;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail plan view of the automatic switchmechanism included in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a vertical, sectional view taken on the line 9-4 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line llil0 of Fig.7;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line il ll of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of lifting apparatus forelevating units of articles from one tank and lowering them intoanother;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the structure shown inplan view in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a transverse, sectional view taken on the line l4ll of Fig.13;

Fig. 15 is a transverse, sectional view taken on the line lS-IS of Fig.2.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings is illustrated an embodiment of the improvedconveying mechanism in rust proofing apparatus which generally includesa preliminary washing station 20 at which articles to be rust proofedare subjected to an initial washing operation either by manual or bymechanical application thereto of water or other suitable cleaningagents. Located in related sequence with respect to the washing station20 is a final washing and rinsing station 2| through which the articlesare passed. The station 2| preferably includes a housing or casingdiagrammatically illustrated at 22 in which suitable spray devices (notshown) are provided for forcefully applying water sprays on thearticles. There are also diverse platforms 23 arranged longitudinally ofthe casing 22 for accommodating operators who may work upon the articleswith brushes or other suitable tools and devices. The next successiveunit of the rust proofing apparatus includes a rust proofing solutiontank 24, and adjacent final rinsing tank and an adjacent drying chamber26, best shown'in Fig. 2. The tanks 24 and 25 and the drying chamber 28are arranged in longitudinal alignment and preferably enclosed within acasing or housing 21 having an tions generally designated by thenumerals 3| and ii and an intermediate double rail section generallydesignated by'the numeral 12. The mono-rail section 30 extends in a loopshaped course from the loading dock to the left end of the double railsection 32, as viewedin Fig. 1, and the mono-rail section II extends ina reversely directed course from the right end of the double railsection 32 past the unloading dock and to the loading dock. It should beunderstood that those extremities of the mono-rail sections 3! and 32which are located at the loading station are arranged in an alignedrelationship so that there is no actual division therebetween but thatthe sections are designated differently merely for the purpose ofconvenience of description.

The mono-rail sections include rails 33' of 1- shaped cross section,illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and the double rail section includessubstantially identical rails 34 arranged in spaced relationship, asillustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. These rails are supported in suspendedrelationship by spaced vertical supp rts 35 or other suitable meanswhich are provided with laterally extending arms 38 to which the upperflanges of the rails are fixed.

Mounted on the vertical supports 35, directly above the laterallyextending arms 36 are similar laterally extending arms 31 on whichtracks 33 of I-shaped cross section are mounted directly above the rails33 of the mono-rail sections. The rails 33 and tracks 38 extendthroughout substantially the entire courses of such sections Thesetracks are provided for supporting a travelling driving membercomprising a conveyor chain 39 having spaced substantially horizontallinks 40 on which vertically extending chains supporting carriages H aremounted. Each carriage 4| includes a bifurcated end portion 42 on theopposite side arms of which arejournalled rollers 43, the rollers beingengaged between the flanges of the tracks 38 and having rolling contactengagement with the opposite sides of the lower flange 38' thereofrespectively.

Each carriage ll has an arm 44 extending downwardly from the chain 39,on which spaced cleats 45 are mounted. Pivotaily mounted on the outerend portions of the cleats l5 and disposed therebetween are triangularshaped latch plates 46 having substantially vertical adjacent side edges41 and inclined outer side edges 48. Formed on the upper edge portion ofthe latch plates 46 are transversely extending stops 49 which areengageable with the upper edges of the cleats 45 for preventing outwardrotation of the latch plates which are otherwise free to rotate inwardlytowards each other. These latch plates are adapted to automaticallycouple with portions of carriages 50 of article holders movably mountedon the rails 33 of the mono-rail section.

Each carriage 50 includes a body portion ii on which are mountedvertically up-standing brackets 52 having rollers 53 rotatably securedto their upper extremities and engaged between the flanges of the rail33, as illustrated in Fig. 4. 75

The rollers 53 are engaged in rolling contact with the lower flange 54of the rail 38. Extending upwardly from the body portion 5| or eachcarriage 50 is a bracket 55 having a laterally extending flange 56 whichis adapted to be received between the vertical edges 41 of the latchplates 46 in order to apply thedriving or translating force of the chain39 to the carriage 58. Rotatably engaged in an aperture of a plate 51secured to the lower extremity of the body portion 5! of each carriage54 is a bolt 58 which is attached to an elongated tubular bar 59 of thearticle holder. The bar 59 is maintained in a substantially horizontalposition during its movement throughout the mono-rail sections 3| and 32by the carriage 50 and by a similar carriage, generally designated bythe numeral 69, which also includes a body portion 5! and upstandingbrackets 52 on which rollers 53 are rotatably mounted. The carriages 69are substantially identical to the carriages 50 in all respects with theexception that they are not provided with the up-standing arm 55 andinwardly extending flange 56 for coupling the article supporting unitwith the driving chain. Each carriage 50 is provided with an aperturedplate 51 in which a bolt 58 is rotatably engaged, the latter beingsecured to the other end portion of the tube 59. If desired, the upperend portions of the bolt 58 may be'flxed to their respective supportingplates 51 and provision may be madeior pivotal movement of the lower endportions of the bolt with respect to the tube 59.

The conveyor chains 39 are supported in the manner illustrated in Figs.3 and '4 throughout the entire course of movement of the article holdersas defined by the mono-rail sections 38 and 3i. At the left end of thedouble rail section 32, as viewed in Figs..1 and 7, the supporting track380i the driving chain 39 continues beyond the end of themono-railsection '39 in a U-shaped course, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, andfinally extends substantially parallel to the double rail section 32along the side of the housing 21 in which the rust proofing solutiontank 24, rinsing tank 25, and drying chamber 26 are disposed, thusforming a by-pass for the chain 39 to bring it fromthe discharging endof the mono-rail section 39 to the receiving end of the mono-railsection3l. Adjacent the receiving end of the mono-rail section 3|, thetrack 38 which supports the driving chain 39 takes a 'reversely curvedcourse so asto bring it into tangential relationship with respect to thedischarge end of the double rail section 32, as illustrated at IS inFig. 1. The track 38 then follows the course of the monorail section 3|throughout a looped pathl8 and extends leitwardly, as viewed in Fig. 1,insuper-imposed relation to the rail 33 of the mono-rail section 3|untilit ultimately becomes aligned with the rail of the mono-railsection 39 at the loading dock.

It should bewunderst od that the chain 39 is endless and that ity iscontinuously, driven during operation of the apparatus by suitabledriving mechanism which in'the form shown includes an electric'motor Eland transmission mechanism 52,. both shown, in Fig. 7'. The transmissionmechanism 62, includes a shaft 63 on which a sprocket wheel 84 ismounted and operatively connected by a' chain 65with'aSD1fQcket wheel 66b: "ashaft s1 which. extends-transversely of the irame structure 58bywhich the motor. GI and transmission 52 are supported. Fixed on theQshaft 6lis'a bevel gear 59 which is meshed with the teeth of a bevelgear Ill mounted ona vertically up-standing shaft H which is journalledin suitable bearings provided on the frame structure 68. Fixed on thelower end of the shaft II is a sprocket wheel I2 over which the-drivingchain 39 of the conveying mechanism extends. The sprocket wheel 12propels the endless chain 39 throughout its course of movement asdefined by its supporting tracks 38, the slack in the chain being takenup at I] in Fig. 1 by suitable apparatus (not shown).

The left end portions 13 of the rails 34 of the double rail section 32are disposed in converging relationship as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7and they terminate in close proximity to the adjacent extremity of therails 33 of the mono-rail section 39. At the junction of the convergingend portions 13 of the rails of the double rail section and one of thespaced extremities of the rail 33 of the mono-rail section 39 isprovided a switching mechanism for transferring one carriage of eacharticle supporting unit to each of the rails 34 of the double railsection respectively. This switching mechanism includes a substantiallystraight rail portion 14 which is pivotally attached at I5 to theextremity of the rail 33 of the mono-rail-section 39. The rail portion14 is adapted to swing about the axis of the pivot 15 into alignmentwitheach of the converging end portions I3 of the double rail section.

The switching operation is automatically performed by apparatusincluding a pneumaticcylinder 16 having a piston 11 therein to which isattached a piston rod 18. Theouter end of the piston rod 18 is pivotallysecured at 19 to the free end portion of the pivotally mounted railporend portions 13 of the double rail section 32. The

valve 82 is connected by a conduit83 with a suitable source (not'shown)of fluid medium and it is provided with a control member includingangularly disposed lever arms and 85. The

lever arm 84 extends intothe path of the upstanding bracket 55 of theleading carriage of the article supporting unit by which it is engagedafter the leading carriage 50 has passed over the pivoted rail portion14 and onto the end portion of the upper rail 34 of i the double railsection 32, it being-understood that the switch control apparatusnormally retains the pivoted rail portion 14 in-the full line positionshown in. Figs. 7 and 8. When the leading'carriage 50 of the articlesupporting unit engages the arm 84 of the valve mechanism 82 it rotatesthe arm 84 and the associated'arin 85 in aclockwis'edirection as viewedin "Fig. 8 so as-tobring the arm 85 into a 'transverselyextendingrelationship withrespect tothe converging end portion 13 of the lowerrail 34*of the double rail section, as viewed in Fig: 7,-andsimultaneouslypermits the escape of the fluid medium from the righthandend of the cylinder 16 a'ndalso admits'fluid medium to the left end ofthecylinder, thereby projecting the piston l1 and'its'rod Hi-'rightwardly, as viewed 8,1 s6 as "to rotate the pivotally mounted'railfportion 114 fin a clockwise 'di rection. Thisv movement or therailportion l4 14 occurs after the leading carriage 50 of the articlesupport has been engaged upon the end portion of the upper rail 34 andbefore the trailing carriage 60 has reached the end of the pivotallymounted rail portion I3 and, therefore, as the article holder ispropelled along by the conveyor chain. the carriage 50 is disposed onone rail of the double rail section 32 and the carriage 33 is disposedon the other rail thereof. During movement of the carriage 60 past thevalve 32, the lower arm 35 of the latter is engaged and returned to itsnormal full line position shown in Fig. 8. This operation of the controlof the valve 33 causes the pivotally mounted rail portion I4 to berestored to its normal position shown in full lines in Fig. 8, where itremains until the next successive article holder reaches the junction ofthe mono-rail section 33 and the double rail section 32, whereupon theforegoing cycle of operation again takes place.

After the carriages I3 and 33 of the article holder have been disposedupon their respective tracks of the double rail section 32, the path ofthe chain 3! begins to depart from the course of the rails of the doublerail section, causing the flange 33 of the bracket 55 of the leadingcarriage ill to be ,withdrawn from between the latch plates 36.

The article holder is then temporarily propelled along the rails of thedouble rail section 32 by vane-like members 33 which are rotated aboutsubstantially vertical'axes' in timed relation to the movement of theconveyor chain 3!. Each vane-like propelling member 36 is fixed to avertically extending shaft 31 which is journalled in suitable bearingscarried by the frame structure 33 and which is provided with a bevelgear 33 that is meshed with the teeth of a bevel gear I! mounted on ashaft 33 extending transversely of the length of the double rail section32. The shaft 33 is also journalled in suitable bearings and it isprovided with a sprocket gear II which is operatively connected by asprocket chain 92 with a sprocket gear 33 mounted on the shaft 31. Asthe vane-like propelling members 33 are turned about the axes of theirshaft 31, each one thereof engages one of the carriages of the articlesupporting unit so as to move the latter to the right, as viewed inFigs. 1, 7 and 11.

The double rail section 32 has an upwardly inclined intermediate portionI 3 and an adjacent downwardly inclined portion i by means of which thearticle holders and the articles supported thereon are lifted to asufficiently high elevation to clear the left end of the rust proofingtank 24 and allow the articles to be deposited therein, the maximumelevation of the inclined portions II and it of the double rail sectionsbeing located substantially directly above the left edge portion of therust proofing solution tank. The double rail section 32 then continuessubstantially horizontally from the lower extremity of the downwardlyinclined portion i5 thereof to a location substantially adjacent theright extremity of the rust proofing tank, or slightly in advance of thelatter.

Vertically movable lengths of rails 34 are disposed in alignment withthe rails of the double rail section 32 and located directly above theadjacent end portions of the rust proofing solutiontankandtherinsingtankZS. These vertically movable lengths -of rails 33 aresupported by lifting apparatus to be hereinafter more fully described.Extending to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, from the vertically movablelmgthsofrails3l.thedoublerailsection32is inclined upwardly to a maximumelevation substantially directly above the right extremity of therinsing tank 25 and then downwardly to within close proximity oftheoutlet 29 of the casing 21.

After the propelling members 86 part contact with the carriages of thearticle holder, the latter is moved throughout its entire remaininglength of the double rail section 32, with the exception of that portionthereof provided by the vertically movable length of rails 94, by a pairof endless chains 95 supported on suitable tracks 36 and extendingaround sprocket wheels 91 which together with the tracks 96 are soconstructed and arranged as to cause one side of each endless chain tofollow the course of the double rail section 32, and the other side ofeach chain to return from one right end of the double rail section 32to-the' left end thereof.

The conveyor chains 95 and associated supporting tracks 36 and sprocketwheels 31 are located on each side of the double rail section 32 inoutwardly spaced relation to the rails thereof respectively, asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 7. Each sprocket wheel 31 is fixed on a shaft93 journalled in suitable bearings carried by the frame structure 63 ofthe apparatus. Mounted on each shaft 33 is a sprocket gear 39 which isoperatively connected by a chain I00 to a sprocket gear ilil mounted onthe transversely extending shaft which, as previously set forth, isdriven by the sprocket gears 33 and Si and interconnecting chain 32.

The conveyor driving chains 95 are spaced apart sufficiently toaccommodate the reception of the respectively opposite end portions ofthe bars 53 between alternate links thereof which have outwardlyextending side plates I02 for providing spaced recesses for thereception of the end portions of the bars 33. The links of the chainsare provided with rollers 35' which are disposed in rolling contactengagement with the tracks 33.

The vane-like propelling elements 33 which move the article holders fromthe converging end portions 13 of the tracks of the double rail section32 are operated in timed relation to the conveyor driving chains 33through the medium of the shaft 33 and they position the article holderssubstantially directly over the left hand extremity of the path of theconveyor driving chain 33 in position to be picked up by the latterchains and moved to the right, as viewed in Figs. '7 and 11, and up theinclined adjacent portion I 6 of the double rail section 32. Thearticles, illustrated at H in Fig. 2, carried by the article holders arein this way lifted over the left end wall of the rust proofing solutiontank 23 and lowered thereinto as the conveyor driving chains 35 carrythe article holders downwardly along the next adjacent portions ll ofthe double rail section 32. The chains 85 move the article holders tothe right over the horizontal portion of the double rail section untilthey approach the right end portion of the rust proofing solution tank24. At this location, the chains 35 move the article holders onto thevertically movable lengths of rails 34 by which they are lifted bysuitable elevating mechanism to remove the articles thereon verticallyfrom the tank.

The elevating mechanism for lifting the article holders vertically,illustrated in Figs. 12, 13 and 14, include a stationary mainframestructure having rectangularly spaced upright posts I33 and connectinghorizontal beams I I4 and this structure is preferably confined in ahousing I05, shown in Fig. 2. Vertically movabiy mounted within theframe structure formed by the vertical posts I00 and horizontal beamsI04 is a rectangular frame I05 on which the length of rails 04 arerigidly fixed. The frame I00 is confined to movement in a verticalcourse by spaced vertically extending guide members I01, which are fixedto the horizontal beams. I04 of respectively opposite sides of the mainframe structure and located substantially midway between the verticalposts I00 thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 14. Each guide member includesa pair of angle bars, having inwardly extending flanges which arereceived in a channel of an elongated bracket I08 carried by the frameI00, as shown in Fig. 12.

Fixed to the opposite sides of the frame I00, adjacent the guide membersI01, are trusses I00 to each of which is secured a chain H0. The chainsI I0 extend over sprocket gears III mounted on a shaft II2 which isjournalled in suitable bearings carried by the main frame structure anddisposed substantially parallel to the lengths of rails 04. The chainsIIO extend laterally of the double rail section 02 and downwardly overthe sprocket gears IIO which are fixed on respectively opposite ends ofa shaft II4 journalled in suitable bearings carried by the main framestructure. Mounted on the shaft 4, intermediate the end thereof, is apinion II5 which is meshed with the teeth N0 of a rack II1 carried by apiston rod H0. The piston rod IIO has a piston II9 thereon slidablymounted in'a pneumatic cylinder I20, which is preferably locatedadjacent one side of the double rail section 02.

The respectively opposite ends of the pneumatic cylinder I20 areconnected by conduits I2I, I22 and valve mechanism I20 with a source offluid pressure (not shown) by a conduit I24, by means of which thepiston IIO, piston rod H0 and rack I I1 are reciprocated in apredetermined manner for the purpose of raising and lowering the frameI00 and the lengths of rails 04 carried thereby.

The operation of the cylinder I20 and its piston IIO of the structureassociated therewith is automatically controlled by apparatus which isresponsive to movement of the article holders so as to individually lifteach successive article holder as the latter is disposed upon thevertically movable lengths of rails 04 by the conveyor driving chain 05.This apparatus includes a relay I25 mounted on the valve I20 andelectrically connected with a switch I20 lo-,

cated on or in advance of one of the horizontal beams I04 of the framestructure of the housing 21, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The switch I20has a downwardly extending control arm I21 provided with a laterallyextending finger I20 which projects into the path of travel of thebrackets 55 mounted on the side of the leading carriages 50 of thearticle holders. When the control arm I21 is actuated by engagement withan article holder, the valve mechanism I20 is operated, through therelay I25, to admit air to the lower end of the cylinder I20, and thetrack sections 04 and the holder thereon is rapidly lifted vertieally bythe elevating mechanism. The air that is admitted to cylinder I20 forcesthe piston IIO, piston rod H0 and rack II1 upwardly so as to rotate theshaft 4 and sprocket gears I I0 thereon in a clockwise direction, asviewed in Fig. 14. This rotation of the sprocket gears IIO moves thechain IIO to the right, as viewed in Fig. 14, thereby pulling theelevator frame I00 and lengths of rails 04 carried thereby, upwardly.The free ends of the chains IIO are each provided with a weight I00, bywhich the chain is maintained under tension. The control arm I 21 of theswitch I20 is returned to its normal position by a spring (not shown)after the contacting article holder moves out of engagement therewith,but the valve mechanism remains in its aforesaid condition until alteredin the manner hereinafter set forth.

During upward and downward movement of the article holders by theelevating mechanism, the ends of the tubular bar 00 are engaged betweenpairs of guide bars III and I02 respectively. The pairs of guide barsIII are mounted on the main frame structure of the elevating mechanismand the space between their lower end portions is so located as toaccommodate upward movement of the bar 00 when the switch I20 is closed.The upper .end portions of the guide bars IOI are inclined slightly inthe direction of movement of the article holders over the double railsection 02 so as to shift the article holders on the lengths of rails 04somewhat in the direction of their desired travel and to bring the endportions of the bar 00 into driving engagement with conveyor drivingchains I00 mounted on the main frame structure of the elevator mechanismsubstantially at the upper elevation of the vertical path of movement ofthe lengths of rails 04.

Each chain I00 is endless and is disposed around sprocket gears I04 andI00. The sprocket gears I04 are fixed on a transversely extending shaftI00 having one end portion which protrudes beyond the side of the doublerail section on which is mounted a sprocket gear I01. The sprocket gearI01 may be operatively connected by a chain I00 with any desired primemover or it may be driven by the driving mechanism of the conveyorsystem in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the chain I00 passesaround the sprocket gear I00, which is fixed to a shaft I0 journalled onthe frame structure and provided with a sprocket gear I2 that is soconstructed and arranged as to be driven by one of the conveyor drivingchains 00 of the double rail section 02. The sprocket gears I00 arecarried by separate idler shafts I40, which are journalled in suitablebearings carried by the main frame structure of the elevator mechanism.Regardless of the source of power applied to the conveyor chains I00,they are preferably driven at a relatively high rate of speed so as torapidly move the article holders to the right, as viewed in Fig. 13, andboth the upward and downward movements of the elevating apparatus arerapid so as to reduce, as far as possible, the period of time duringwhich the articles are exposed to the atmosphere while they are beingtransferred from the rust proofing solution tank 24 to the final rinsingtank 25. This precaution is taken to prevent drying and hardening of therust proofing solution on the article. I,

As the article holders are moved to the right, as viewed in Figs. 12 and10, by the chains I00, the bracket 05 of the leading carriage 00thereof, engages a control arm I of an electric switch I42 which is alsoelectrically connected with the relay I25 of the pneumatic control valveI20. The switch I42 is so constructed and arranged as to close itscircuit when the ends of one of the tubular bars 00 of the articleholder are in return the pneumatic valve I23, through the medium of therelay I25, to its previous position and to condition it to admit fluidpressure to the upper end' portion of the cylinder I20 and to therebyforce the piston Ill, piston rod H3 and rack Ill downwardly, as viewedin Fig. 14. This movement of the rack I ll causes the chain ill to bemoved to the left. as viewed in Fig. 14, thereby permitting the frameIIS of the elevator and lengths of rails 0| carried thereby, as well asthe article holders, to be lowered. The downward movement of the articleholders is guided by the guide bars I32 which are located relativelyclose together, so as to hold the bar 53 in substantially accuratetransverse relationship with respect to the movement of the mainconveyor driving chains 35 of the double rail section 32.

When the article holder reaches its lowermost position it is depositedon the conveyor driving chains 95 between the upstanding side plates I02of alternate links thereof, and these conveyor chains then move thearticle holders through the rinse tank 25 and then upwardly over thelast inclined portion of the double rail section 32, so as to remove thearticles carried by the holders from the rinsing tank 25. The conveyordriving chains 98 then move the article holders and the articles thereondownwardly over the final right hand downwardlyinclined portion of thedouble rail section 32 and through the drying chamber 38 which is heatedby burners M3 to remove the rinse water carried by the articles.

When the article holder reaches-a position over the extreme right handsprocket gear 91 of the main double rail conveyor driving chain 95, itis disconnected from the driving chain and moved downwardly under itsown weight until it is en gaged by a yieldable stop I shown in Figs. 2and 15, which is pivotally mounted on the upper wall of the dischargeend of the housing 21 and yieldably held against counter-clockwiserotation, as viewed in Fig. 2, by coil springs I45, each attached at oneend to the housing 21 and at its other end to the pivotally mountedstop. The stop I includes a pair of downwardly extending arms I46, eachlocated adjacent one of the outer sides of the right end portion of therails of the double rail section 32. These arms engage the carriages ofthe article holder and retain the same at rest until the flange 56 ofthe bracket 55 of the leading carriage 50 of the article holder is againcoupled with the conveyor driving chain 38 of the mono-rail sections 30and 3| by engagement of the flange 56 between the pivotally mountedlatch plates 46 of one of the carriages 4i by which the chain 39 issupported from its track 38.

When the leading carriage of the article holdor is again coupled withthe driving chain 39, it is propelled thereby over a pivotally mountedrail portion 14 corresponding to the pivotally mounted rail portion 14,heretofore described. The leading carriage 50 is, in this manner,engaged upon the rail 33 of the mono-rail section 3|. The pivotallymounted rail portion 14' is then rotated in a counter-clockwisedirection, as viewed in Fig. l, to bring the free end thereof intoregistration with the end portion of the rail of the double rail sectionupon which the other carriage 60 of the article holder has beensupported. This operation is automatically accomplished by a pneumaticcylinder 16' and associated control mechanism, which is also responsiveto movement of the article holder throughout its course and which issubstantially identical to the corresponding apparatus shown in Fig. 8.

The conveyor driving chain 33 then moves the article holder throughoutthe remaining portion of the mono-rail section 3|, past the unloadingdock, where the treated articles are removed by attendants. Then theunloaded article holders are moved along their course by the chain 3!until they reach the loading dock, at which location attendants placethereon other articles to be treated.

Throughout the foregoing description of the construction and apparatusof the improved conveying mechanism and rust proofing system, theprogress of only one article holder has been outlined, but it should beunderstood that, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. l, a pluralityof such article holders are arranged in relatively close proximity onthe conveying apparatus, so as to enable the convenient handling of avast number of articles.

No manual movement of the article or article holders is requiredthroughout theentire course of travel thereof, for all the changes inthe manner of movement of the article holders are brought aboutautomatically by control mechanism which is responsive to movement ofthe articles at the diverse locations at which these changes in themanner of movement occur. The articles are conveyed in a single filerelationship through the preliminary washing station and through thenext successive washing and rinsing stations in such an arrangement thatenables them to be conveniently worked upon. The article holders aremoved in a multiple file relationship through the rust proofing solutiontank by conveyor driving chains which may be operated at a slower rateof speed than the conveyor driving chain 39, which delivers the articleand article holders to the rust proofing unit and carries the same awayfrom the latter, so as to subject the article to the action of the rustproofing solution for a predetermined length of time without requiringthe use of excessively long rust proofing solution tanks and rinsingtanks, and without exposing a relatively large surface of rust proofingsolution to the evaporating action of the atmosphere. Removal of thearticles from the rust proofing solution tank and placement thereof inthe rinsing tank is rapidly accomplished in a relatively short intervalof time by the automatic elevating and transferring mechanism, which, asheretofore set forth, is operated at a relatively higher rate of speedthan that of the main driving chains of the double rail section 32 andthe mono-rail sections 3|! and 3!. The automatic operation of theswitching apparatus by which the article holders are transferred to andfrom the double rail section 32 and the rapid acting elevating andtransferring devices by which the articles are removed from the rustproofing tank and placed in the rinsing tank predetermines the intervalof time required in which to accomplish these operations.

Inasmuch as the time required in which to accomplish a satisfactoryfinal rinsing operation is dependent more or less directly upon theextent to which the rust proofing solution has dried upon the articleduring this transfer period, the fixing of the transfer period rendersit possible for the length of the treatment of the articles in therinsing tank to be accurately predetermined. The uniformity of thecondition of the resulting product greatly facilitates the finishingthereof I ably supporting said article holder on"said 'i'nono-' in anysubsequent treatment to which it is sub-" jected, such as plating,painting or enameling treatment.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention has been describedand illustrated in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various modifications may be made without departing from thescope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for conveying articles throughout a predeterminedsubstantially closed circuit course including an elongated supportadapted to carry a plurality of aligned articles, means for movablysupporting said support and confining the movement thereof to saidpredetermined course including a system of rails having a mono-railsection and a doublerall section included in series therein, apparatusfor automatically switching said article support from said mono-railsection to one end of said double rail section and from the opposite endof said double rail section back to said mono-rail section includingcontrol mechanism operable by engagement with said article supportduring movement thereof toward and away from the opposite ends of saiddouble rail section respectively, and apparatus for driving said articlesupport throughout said predetermined course including driving membersassociated with said mono-rail section and said double rail sectionrespectively and including a driving member at the junction of one endof said double rail section and said mono-rail section for drivinglytransferring said article supports from said mono-rail section to saiddouble rail section.

2. Apparatus for conveying articles throughout a predeterminedsubstantially closed circuit course including an elongated supportadapted to carry a plurality of aligned articles, means for movablysupporting said support and confining the movement thereof to saidpredetermined course including a system of rails having an intermediatedouble rail section and mono-rail sections associated with ends thereof,apparatus for automatically switching, said article support from alongitudinally extending relationship with respect to one of saidmono-rail sectionsto a transversely extending relationship with respectto said double rail section and back to a longitudinally extendingrelationship with respect to the other mono rail section, and apparatusfor driving said article support throughout said predetermined courseincluding driving members'associated with each of said rail sectionsrespectively and a driving member at'the junction of one end of saiddouble rail section and said mono-rail section for transferring saidarticle support to said double rail section. 3. In apparatus fortreating articles including spaced article treating stations; apparatusfor conveying articles through asubstantially closed circuit course andthrough said stations including an elongated article holder adapted tosupport a plurality of articles to be treated inlongitu'dinal alignmentthereon, a system of rails including a mono-railsection in relatedproximity to one of said stations and a double railsection in relatedproximity to another station, said double rail section being included inseries betwen'end portions of said mono-rail section, means for mov railsection in lengthwise extending relationship with respect to itsdirection of movement through one of said stations',-said'meansbeingadapted to mtvably 'supirort said article'holder in said double railsection in transversely extending relationship with respect to itsdirection of movement through said other station, and apparatus forautomatically transferring said article holder from one end of each railsection to the adjacent end of the other including control membersresponsive to movement of said article holder as the latter approachesthe adjacent extremities of said rail sections and including drivingmeans intermediate adjacent ends of said rail sections for propellingsaid article holder from one to the other thereof.

4. In apparatus for rust proofing articles including a washing stationand a spaced station comprising a rust proofing solution tank; apparatusfor conveying articles through a substantially closed circuit course andthrough said stations including a system of rails having a monorailsection associated with said washing station and a double rail sectionassociated with said rust proofing station, said mono and double railsections having their respectively opposite end portions associated witheach other for completing said course, an elongated article holdermovably mounted on said system of rails and adapted to support aplurality of articles to be treated in longitudinal alignment thereon,said article holder being movable in the direction of itslength throughsaid washing station while supported on said mono-rail section and beingmovable in a direction transverse to its length through said tank whilesupported on said double rail section, and transfer means includingpropeller apparatus for drivingly moving said article holders from saidmono-rail section to the adjacent end of said double rail section andincluding means responsive to movement of said article holder toward adouble rail section between portions of said mono-rail section andassociated with said rust proofing station, said mono-rail sectionhaving an endless continuously driven' conveyor extending along bothportions thereof and by-passing said double rail section, an elongatedarticle holder movably mounted on said system of rails and adapted tosupport-a plurality of articles to be treated inlongitudinal alignmentthereon. said article holder being movable inthe direction of its lengththrough said washing station while supported on said mono-rail sectionand beingm'ovable in a direction transverse to its length through saidtank while supported on said double rail section, means for movi ng saidarticle holder while articles supported thereon are immersed in saidtank, means for lifting said article holder on stantially verticallyoutof said tank when it reaches a predetermined position therein. and

means for propelling said articleholderswhilein said lifted positionawayfrom saidtank. *6. Conveying apparatusincluding a system ofrails'having aidjacentmondrail and double rail sections, an articleholder including longitudinally spaced supports engageable on said railsections, said double raiisection having ap'ainof com verging railportions adjacent said mono-rail sections and said mono-rail sectionhaving a pivoted rail portion 'registerable with each of said convergingrail portions, apparatus for automatically controlling said pivoted railportion having a control member responsive to movement said articleholder relative thereto and adapted to move said pivoted rail portionfrom a registering relationship with respect to one of said convergingrail portions to a registering relationship with respect to other ofsaid converging rail portions after movement of each of the supports oi.said article holder respectively beyond said pivoted rail portion, andmechanism for propelling said article holder including a driving memberassociated with each of said rail sections respectively and anintermediate driving member at the Junction of said rail sections forremoving said article holder from engagement with the driving member ofone of said rail sections and bringing the same into engagement with thedriving member 01' the other rail section.

7. Conveying apparatus including a system of rails having adjacentmono-rail and double rail sections, an article holder includinglongitudinally spaced supports engageable on said rail sections, saiddouble rail section having a pair of converging rail portions adjacentsaid mono-rail sections and said mono-rail section having a pivoted railportion registerable with each of said converging rail portions,apparatus for automatically controlling said pivoted rail portion havinga control member responsive to movement of said article holder relativethereto and adapted to move said pivoted rail portion from a registeringrelationship with respect to one of said converging rail portions to aregistering relationship with respect to the other oi said convergingrail portions alter movement 01 each of the supports of said articleholder respectively beyond said pivoted rail portion, mechanism forpropelling said article holder including a driving member associatedwith each 01' said-rail sections respectively and an intermediatedriving member at the junction 0! said rail sections for removing saidarticle holder from engagement with the driving member of one of saidrail sections and bringing the same into engagement with the drivingmember of the other A rail section, and a system of operating membersproofing solution tank and an adjacent rinsing tank, apparatus forconveying articles through said tanks including a fixed rail sectionextending over each of said tanks, a vertically movable intermediaterail section extending over the adjacent end portions of said tanks andaligned with said first mentioned rail sections, an article holdermovable longitudinally oi said rail sections, means located at the upperlimit of movement of said intermediate rail section for moving saidarticle holder from a position directly above said rust proofingsolution tank to aposition' directly above said rinsing tank, andapparatus for automatically elevating said intermediate rail sectionwhen said article holder is disposed thereon.

' 9. In apparatus for subjecting an article to successive treatmentsincluding a pair of adjacent receptacles, each having an open upperextremity, apparatus for conveying articles thmughsaid receptaclesincluding a pair of spaced rail sections, each extending over one foisaid receptacles respectively, an intermediate vertically shiitable railsection disposed over the adjacent end portions of said receptacle andnormally aligned with said first mentioned rail sections. an articleholder movable on said rail sections,

mechanism for automatically elevating said intermediate rail sectionwhen said article holder is disposed thereon and located at the end oione oi. said receptacles, apparatus for actuating said mechanism toautomatically lower said intermediate rail section when-said articleholder is directly above the other receptacle, and an intermediatepropelling member operable while said intermediate rail section iselevated for bringing said article over. the latter receptacle.

10. In apparatus for subjecting an article to successive treatmentsincluding a pair of adjacent receptacles, each having an open upperextremity, apparatus for conveying articles through said receptaclesincluding a pair of spaced aligned rail sections, each extending overone of said receptacles respectively, an intermediate verticallyshiitable rail section disposed over the adjacent end portions 0! saidreceptacles and normally aligned with said first mentioned railsections, an article holder movable on said rail sections, mechanism forautomatically elevating said intermediate rail section when said articleholder is disposed thereon and located at the end of one of saidreceptacles, apparatus for actuating said mechanism to automaticallylower said intermediate rail section when said article holder isdirectly above the other receptacle, an intermediate propelling memberoperable while said intermediate rail section is elevated for bringingsaid article over the latter receptacle, spaced propelling members formoving said article holder over said first mentioned rail sections andthrough the main portions 0! the lengths of said receptacles, anddriving mechanism including driving members associated with saidpropelling means and said elevating mechanism, said members being soconstructed and arranged as to move said article holders slowly throughsaid receptacles and at a faster rate during movement thereof from aposition above one receptacle to a position above the other.

11. In rust proofing apparatim including a rust proofing solution tankand an adjacent rinsing tank, apparatus for conveying articlm throughsaidtanksincludingafixedrailsection extending over each of said tanks, avertically movable intermediate rail section extending over the adjacentend portions of said tanks and aligned with said first mentioned railsections, article holders movable longitudinally oi said rail sections,and apparatus for automatically lifting and lowering said intermediaterail sections when an article holder is disposed thereon including acontrol member remote from said rust proofing solution tank andresponsive to movement 0! an article holder located rearwardly oi thearticle holder disposed on said intermediate rail section for liftingthe latter and including a control member responsive to movement of anarticle holder on said intermediate rail section when the latter is inits elevated position for lowering said intermediate rail section.

12. In rust proofing apparatus including a rust proofing solution tankand an adjacent rinsing tank, apparatus for conveying articles throughsaid tanks including a fixed rail section extending over each oi saidtanks, a vertically movable intermediate rail section extending over theadjacent end portions of said tanks and aligned with said firstmentioned rail sections, article holders movable longitudinally of saidrail sections, and apparatus for automatically lifting and loweringlowering control members respectively arranged in sequence at a locationrearwardly oi the rust proofing solutionvtank and operable by engagementwith an article holder spaced rearwardly from the holder disposed insaid intermediate rail section.

13. in rust proofing apparatus including a rust proofing solution tankand an adjacent rinsing tank, apparatus for conveying articles throughsaid tanks including a fixed rail section extending over each oi. saidtanks, a vertically movable intermediate rail section extending over theadapparatus for automatically lifting and lowering said intermediaterail sections when an article holder is disposed thereon including acontrol t member remote from said rust proofing solution tank andresponsive to movement of an article holder located rearwardly of thearticle holder disposed on said intermediate rail section for opcratingsaid lifting and lowering apparatus to lift said intermediate railsection and including a second control member responsive to movement, ofan article holder by said means for operating said lifting and loweringapparatus to lower said intermediate rail section when an article holderthereon is in a predetermined position.

14. Conveying apparatus including a fixed rail section, a verticallymovable rail section aligned with said fixed rail section and movablebetween upper and lower limits, a member movable longitudinally of saidrail sections, means for moving said member along said fixed railsection and over a portion of said movable rail section when .the latteris at its lower limit; means located in proximity to the upper limit ofsaid vertically movable rail section for eflecting movement of saidmember over only a portion of the length thereof when said movable railsection is at said upper limit-apparatus tor automatically elevatingsaid movable rail section when said member is disposed in predeterminedposition thereon, and apparatus 101' automatically lowering said movablerail section when said member is in a difierent predetermined positionthereon.

15. In apparatus for subjecting an article to treatment in a receptaclehaving an open upper extremity, a. conveyor section substantially fixedin elevation for moving articles through said receptacie toward oneextremity thee-coda vertically shlitable conveyor section disposed oversaid extremity of said receptacle for receiving articles deliveredthereto by said first conveyor section.

mechanism for elevating and lowering said shiftable conveyor section,mechanism located in proximity to said shiitable conveyor section formoving articles onthe latter away from said extremity of said receptaclewhen said shiitable conveyor section is at its upper limit, andautomatic control means responsive to movement oi. an ar t-cle to apredetermined position on mid vertically shiftable conveyor section foractuating said lifting and lowering mechanism to lift said article, saidcontrol means being responsive to subse quent movement of said articleto a diflerent predetermined position on said vertically shiitableconveyor section for lowering said article.

16. In apparatus for subjecting an article to treatment in a receptaclehaving an open extremity, a fixed conveyor section for moving articlesthrough said receptacle transversely ofsaid open extremity toward an endwall thereof, a movable conveyor section shiftable toward and away fromsaid open extremity for receiving articles delivered thereto by saidfixed conveyor section and extending over said end wall, mechanism iorautomatically moving said shiftable conveyor section toward and awayfrom said open extremity including control means operable when anarticle is deposited in a predetermined position on said shiftableconveyor section for moving said article away from said open extremity,and a propelling member operable while said shiftable conveyor sectionis remote from said open extremity for moving said article out ofregistration with said receptacle, said mechanism including automaticcontrol means operable when saidarticle is disposed in a secondpredetermined position for moving said shiftable conveyor section towardsaid open extremity..

1' Conveying apparatus including a fixed rail section, a verticallymovable rail section interposed between portions of said fixed railsection and movable between a lower position substantially aligned withsaid fixed rail section and an upper portion spaced therefrom, a membermovable longitudinally of said rail sections, means for moving saidmember along said fixed rail section and along opposite end portions orsaid movable rail section when the latter is in its lower position,means located in proximity to the upper portion oi! said movable railsection for moving said member along the intermediate portions of saidmovable rail section when the latter is in its upper position, andapparatus for reciprocating said movable rail section intermittentlybetween said upper and lower positions.

ROBERT E. GORDON.

